The 10 Most Shocking Oscar Snubs for 2013

Throughout its 85-year existence, the Academy Awards have made their fair share of mistakes. Whether it was awarding How Green Was My Valley? for Best Picture instead of Citizen Kane, giving Al Pacino Best Actor for Scent of a Woman or by never even nominating a film like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for Best Picture. So, with The Oscars coming up this Sunday, February 24 at 7pm, it’s time to take a look at this year’s biggest mistakes in the form of snubs.

Here are the Top 10 Oscar snubs for 2013.

10. Best Original Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson (‘The Master’)

There was plenty of buzz, and mystery, surrounding The Master, such as if it was or wasn’t loosely based on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. Regardless, when the nominees were listed both Joaquin Phoenix (Best Actor) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Supporting Actor) received recognition for the film. But would they both have received nominations if it wasn’t for Anderson’s intriguing script?

9. Best Picture: ‘Skyfall’

When the Academy bumped up the Best Picture nominations to ten, the thought process was that it would include blockbusters that would have previously been ignored. However, for some reason, The Academy only included nine films this year. While many would argue that The Dark Knight Rises deserves a nomination, Skyfall was definitely the best of the big-budget, crowd-pleaser films. It shattered expectations and box office records, and earned Globe, BAFTA, and DGA nominations as well. Besides, how awesome would it have been to see a Bond film earning a Best Picture nom?

8. Best Director: Quentin Tarantino (‘Django Unchained’)

Django Unchained was surrounded in controversy, violence and made a ton of money at the box office. And yet even though it earned Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Supporting Actor nominations, Tarantino was left out in the cold.

7. Best Picture: ‘Moonise Kingdom’

For some reason the Academy doesn’t enjoy Wes Anderson’s work, including his most recent and wonderful film Moonrise Kingdom. At least it nabbed a Best Picture (comedy or musical) Golden Globe nomination and a Best Original Screenplay Oscar bid.

6. Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (‘Django Unchained’)

The Best Supporting Actor category this year is a close race, not to mention that every actor nominated has previously won an Oscar. But it was still a shock to not see Leonardo DiCaprio’s sadistic plantation owner in Django Unchained included. At least his co-star Christoph Waltz was nominated.

5. Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (‘Zero Dark Thirty’)

Despite Zero Dark Thirty earning Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay nominations, director Kathryn Bigelow was excluded. It’s a pretty questionable move, but the easiest explanation is that the Academy didn’t want to nominate her again so close to her win with the Hurt Locker in 2009.

4. Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson (‘Looper’)

Looper was one of the most original and exciting sci fi flicks to come along in years. And yet somehow, the Academy awarded this creative script by completely overlooking the film for a Best Original Screenplay nomination. At least it got a Golden Globe nod.

3. Best Actress: Marion Cotillard (‘Rust and Bone’)

Before the nominations were announced many felt that Marion Cotillard was a shoo-in for a Best Actress nomination. Her portrayal of a killer whale trainer who loses her legs in an accident was amazing and emotional. In short, her performance in Rust and Bone is typically what the Academy looks for. Surprising that she wasn’t included.

2. Best Actor: John Hawkes (‘The Sessions’)

John Hawkes went above and beyond in his performance of polio-stricken poet Mark O’Brien in The Sessions. Not only did the actor spend an endless amount of hours in a bed, as well as in an iron lung, he primarily had to rely on only his head to convey his gripping performance. He earned a Golden Globe nom for The Sessions, but an Oscar nomination seemed fitting as well.

1. Best Director: Ben Affleck (‘Argo’)

Despite what people may think of Ben Affleck’s acting skills, few can deny his abilities behind the camera. The Town proved that Affleck is a quality director and he upped the ante with Argo. Despite the accolades and a strong campaign for Argo, Affleck was undeservingly excluded in the Best Director category, despite Argo earning a Best Picture nomination. At least maybe Affleck found some sort of redemption for his Golden Globe win as Best Director.